8 Types of Coaches: Where Does Your Coach Fit?
Over my many years of swimming, I have experienced a lot of different coaches, all who have had a different coaching style. From club to high school swimming, and from high school to college swimming, I have learned how to adapt to different coaches and trust in their new processes that were different than what I was used to. I am sure many swimmers have gone through a coaching staff change where they had to learn and adjust to a new way of doing things. Read along to learn about eight types of coaches.
The Motivator
Motivators know exactly how to get their team pumped up and ready to go every single day whether it is at practice or on meet day. This coach’s primary way of motivating their team is by uplifting their athletes and pushing them in a positive way. Motivators can be loud and outgoing, but they typically are not classified as a “yeller.”
The Listener
This type of coach can be described as calm, cool and collected. Listeners are usually very relaxed and good with their words. If you need to talk about something that is bothering you or stay after practice to work on something in the water, this coach would be a good person to ask due to their composed presence.
The Energizer
We all have at least one coach who comes to practice every day with a TON of energy. As athletes, we love when our coaches bring the spirit day in and day out. Not only does it make practice more fun, but it keeps us engaged and motivated throughout the workout, too. Energizers truly enjoy their job and love the sport of swimming.
The Softy
Some people will love them, others will not. The softy coach usually lets their athletes take the easy way out of things. This coach is not the type to push their athletes to a hard level that they are probably capable of handling. Athletes who are very hardworking will most likely not like this coaching style.
The Tough Coach
The polar opposite of the softy. The tough coach always has something to say or critique. Having a coach like this might sound challenging – trust me it is – but it is so vital for many reasons. This coach will always give you something to work on whether it has to do with your technique, race strategy, etc. They will occasionally give you positive feedback but will often make sure to tell you that there is something else you can be doing a better job of too.
The Fun Coach
Similarly to the energizer coach, the fun coach knows how to keep the environment upbeat and positive. This type of coach knows how to relate to individual swimmers each in a different way. A fun coach will often times share a lot of the same qualities of the different types of coaches as well, and might even mix in some games at practice.
The Helpful Coach
This type of coach is always willing to help their athletes improve and succeed. The helpful coach will happily provide feedback and tips to their swimmers during practice and after their race at meets. If you need a coach to watch your stroke technique, start, turns, etc., the helpful coach will most definitely meet you before or after practice to help you work on them!
The Yeller
Last but not least, we have the yeller. This coach can be described as loud, uptight and a little strict. The yeller is usually the coach you hear on deck screaming, “go faster!” or “stop breathing off your walls!” This type of coach truly wants to see their swimmers do well but might not always motivate them in the most positive way.
I hope you enjoyed reading about the different types of coaches and each of their qualities. What type of coach do you have?
Hahhah. Ive seen all these coaches over the past two years (since i started) The enigizer is see more in fellow teammates (MYSELF) and my coach is totally the yeller and the motivator and the listener.